Extreme cooling's price vs. cpu trends

I might be coming at this issue from the wrong angle, but here goes.....

I had decided on buying a Vapochill PE standalone system this Summer to get mega overclocks on my AMD XP1700+ 0310UMPW DLT3C. Currently I'm still planning to buy, but a certain thought has been lingering in my head now for the past week or so, so I decided to make a post about it and see what everyone else thinks.

I will be paying $500+ for a Vapochill PE for my XP Tbred while at the same time AMD's new Hammer processor is right around the corner. Will our current extreme cooling systems be very very quickly outdated by Asetek and Chip-Con's cooling systems for the Hammer? What put this thought in my head was a statement over at the Asetek forums. The statement came as a response to a customer asking that Asetek create a slightly better mounting method for AMD chips, because of the number of people complaining about chipped cores (this post isn't about whether the Vapochill actually chips cores or not, let that debate be in another thread please). The Asetek rep responded by stating that AMD has been telling them that the Hammer is right around the corner for a few months now so Asetek has stopped updating Vapochill systems for the current AMD processors.

I want to get your opinions on this, please. Should we wait for the Hammer to come out and then jump on the Vapochill/Prometia bandwagon, or is going out and getting one right now for the current AMD processors justifiable? Do you think it's possible that Asetek and Chip-con could release kits to convert the Vapochill/Prometia to work with the Hammer? I might be looking too deep into this, but then again that's why I'm posting.

Thanks for any insight!!

Personally, I would rethink spending $500 on a Vapochill (well $400 more than a regular case) when running an XP 1700+. If you are able to take your 1700 (1.4 GHz?) to a 3000+ equivalent that still would be more expensive than just buying a 3000+ and a good HSF and getting a modest overclock.

On the other hand, if you are out to get maximum performance regardless of cost, you may as well spend a little more and get yourself a well stepped 3000+ and really take it to the limit.

There are numerous examples of people getting 2.5+ GHz and a couple even getting 3 GHz with XP 1700's and 2100's in the AMD CPU forum (using vapor cooling). Right now I'm at 2.2, and if I could step it up that much with a Vapo or Prometia, then I consider it worthwhile. My only concern here is if they can possibly be upgradeable to work with the new AMD processors. And if not, is it worthwhile to purchase one now as opposed to waiting. I know it's purely opinion, but I'd like to get opinions. Thanks for the suggestion, though, mbigna.

Well, getting a store bought vapo would probably only be cost effective after about 4-5 cpus. If you go through that many per year, more power to ya.

On the other hand, extreem cooling can be had for much less. My minifridge water cooler setup cost $200 including water cooling. It doesnt get quite as low temps, but pretty close to what vapos get. Also, if you have the tools and the knowlege, you can build your own vapo.

what parts

Nealric...what parts did u use to set up your water cooler???

you ened up spending $200 or less?

just do what nealric did and buy a fridge, you can prolly get one at a good-will store or somewhere really cheap. Then you just have to rip it apart and stick the evaporator in a liquid and maybe stick a fan on the condensor. The only problem is that the new mini fridges use some horribly weak compressors and they wont be able to keep up with the load. Dehumidifires also work very well along with water fountains.

Extream cooling I think is worth it because you will be able to use it on any of the newer proccessors. Remember, not all cpus overclock as well as the 1700's do and you will need extream cooling to really push them to a decent speed.

Warlord2 said:

just do what nealric did and buy a fridge, you can prolly get one at a good-will store or somewhere really cheap. Then you just have to rip it apart and stick the evaporator in a liquid and maybe stick a fan on the condensor. The only problem is that the new mini fridges use some horribly weak compressors and they wont be able to keep up with the load. Dehumidifires also work very well along with water fountains.

Extream cooling I think is worth it because you will be able to use it on any of the newer proccessors. Remember, not all cpus overclock as well as the 1700's do and you will need extream cooling to really push them to a decent speed.

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Can all this fit inside a case nicely? I'm in college so I go home for summers, holidays, etc. and I take my puter with me. This is one of the reasons the Vapochill is so appealing.

you would most likely not be able to fit a diy phase change into your case unless its just huge.

you would have to costumly make it to fit your case. If you are in college you should prolly just get a vapo or prom. You dont want to have a computer thats not working and it does take a lot of down time to make a DIY.

Yeah, my computer looks like something from Frankenstiens laboratory. It also takes up and entire desk between the rig, and the fridge and the 21inch monitor. If you are in college, you wont be able to do the fridge thing.
Unfortunatly, I will be goin to college this fall- trying to find a cheapo lab chiller on ebay and modding it into a cheiftec dragon